The people of Bykeitou Settlement in Nasole will not have to dump their rubbish in the river beside their community anymore following the installation of the I Recycle Hub Program under USAID’s Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Program in partnership with the Pacific Recycling Foundation and Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited, and Nasinu Town Council.
20 Bykeitou recycling advocates have been trained by the PRF to monitor the use of the ‘I-Recycle Hub’ and ensure the community is disposing of rubbish in the right manner.
Akuila Nasilivata says waste management issues have been the core problem in the settlement for more than three decades.
Nasilivata says they have lived in Bykeitou for more than 40 years and one of their daily challenges is that they are not recognized as a formal settlement, therefore they have find their own way to dispose of rubbish.
He says all the 60 houses in the settlement dumped their rubbish in the river while other waste were burnt.
Nasilivata adds the implementation of the ‘I-Recycle Hub’ helps them dispose of rubbish properly and lightens the burden of worrying about how and where to dispose of their daily waste.
Pacific Recycling Foundation Founder and CEO of Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited, Amitesh Deo says this is the 2nd informal settlement within the Nasinu area to implement the I-Recyle Hub.
He says that PRF in partnership with the USAID program in terms of looking beyond the movement to find solutions based on everyone and not only certain gender and race.
The Chief Executive Officer of Nasinu and Nausori town council, Anurashika Bari says that the implementation of the ‘I-Recycle Hub’ bin in such informal settlements will create responsibility to individuals on how they can care, love and be responsible for their environment and future generation.
Bari says planting more trees and educating our young children on the value of maintaining our environment is the key to keeping and sustaining a healthy environment.
